Arrow
by Deleth
Summary: Taking the horn from a Unicorn is considered an extremely heinous act. If the unicorn survives, it can no longer use magic, ever. So either way you are taking the pony's life from them. So what happens when Rarity and Fluttershy happen upon a grizzly scene in the Whitetail Woods where a family has been attacked, and among the wreckage find a Unicorn foal whose horn is cut off?
1. Chapter 1

**ARROW**

_Chapter One: The Most Generous Thing_

Rarity stood frozen behind a small tree, eyes locked on the scene in front of her, body instinctively pressed against a small tree as if to hide behind it's thin branches. Aside from the momentary noise of Fluttershy taking wing to bring help, the Whitetail Woods were unnaturally silent. No crickets or cicadas called to each other, no bird dared sing. It was as if the whole of life around the horrific scene had simply ceased to be.

Fluttershy and herself had decided it was a nice day for a walk after their weekly spa treatment. Winter was coming so there wouldn't be many days left whose temperature was as forgiving as it was today and the two had headed into the Whitetail woods, taking the long rout to Fluttershy's home. But halfway there they had encountered…this.

A large wooden travelling cart was lying on its side with a broken wheel, and a broken pony underneath it. The road leading to the apparent crash was slick with blood stopping where the poor soul beneath the cart lay, legs twisted in ways that made Rarity's stomach turn. Just beyond the cart was another pony, a mare, and the reason she had sent Fluttershy to gather the other elements, and maybe a police pony or two to figure out why in the name of Celestia this couple had been murdered. A fact made obvious by the large, vicious looking spear protruding from the base of the Mare's neck.

Rarity waited a full minute longer in the silence of the forest, listening to the breeze blow through the autumn leaves and waiting for her senses to tell her it was safe to move again. When nothing apparent changed Rarity paused to look towards Ponyville wondering where the hay her friends were and what was taking them so long. Usually at least Rainbow Dash would be able to make it from Ponyville to the Whitetails in less time than this. But maybe they weren't coming. Maybe Fluttershy had been brought down on her way— a scuffling sound brought her attention back to the scene before her.

At first she couldn't pinpoint where the noise was coming from until an old, green blanket started to shuffle away from the overturned cart. The little bump underneath was just the right size to be a – oh dear Celestia it was a foal – Rarity's veins ran cold and the maternal instinct that was buried deep within her took over. It was one thing for this to happen to adult ponies but for a foal to witness this?_ And survive?!_

Running from her cover Rarity magicked the blanket away to reveal a small foal colt, whose surprised and terrified blue eyes said all that she needed to know about what he had been through. His silver coat shook as he backed away from Rarity and into the fallen wagon, hoping to disappear into it so she would go away.

Glancing around to ensure there was truly no one watching – namely whomever or whatever had done this – Rarity picked the young colt up with her magic and levitated the foal close to her as he screamed in terror all the way.

"There there." She cooed softly "You're safe now."

Rarity was never very good with foals. Sisters were one thing but a foal that was younger was something that she was never really comfortable with. Foals were loud, messy, the cause of much stress (which leads to facial lines), messy, and generally hard on a good appearance and social standing.

But extenuating circumstances called for an extenuating response, and pushing her own personal feelings aside Rarity did what she could to calm the small earth pony who decided to cling to her neck, letting out muffled sobs as her magic held him aloft.

Rarity felt light headed as she looked at the blood and violence around her, deciding it was time to retreat back to her tree when she heard a groan come from the pony that was trapped under the cart and instinctively ran to the pony's aid, foal and all.

"Oh dear, hang on down there, help will be here soon." Rarity lied, looking around for her friends and in the distance, spotting a small rainbow blur headed her direction. Good.

"No….time…" The stallion unicorn struggled for breath with

"Oh no. No no no. No dying while I'm here, lets just get this cart off of you." Rarity said, shifting the foal from her neck to one of her hooves and concentrating her magic on the cart. But try as she might it was just too heavy, she couldn't even make it budge.

"Please…take care of him…protect…" The stallion coughed, "They will come….for him…"

Rarity's eyes widened.

"Please…pro…protect him…" The crushed stallion begged between coughs.

For the first time in a long time Rarity didn't know what to do. She was a pony of generous heart, and the element of generosity for Celestia's sake. But to take in a foal? Not only was that on the top of the list of 'most generous things anypony could do' but that didn't make the decision any less complicated. Especially when presented with circumstances such as these where one parent was dead, the other undoubtedly dying, and the foal already against her. And what of her business? What of her own life? What of her own dreams and goals?

But then…

Rarity looked down at the foal clinging to her leg, and the situation around her. The choice had really already been made when she rushed to help the little colt, hadn't it? There was no way now she could just take the tiny earth pony and drop him off at an orphanage now, and it was with a determined look that Rarity glanced back to the dying stallion. But his eyes were vacant, the light of life in his body extinguished.

It took the sound of the hooves from her friends to snap her from a reverie she didn't know she was in. Looking down at the foal she was surprised to find that he was staring back up at her, having stopped crying at some point leaving little streaks on his coat. His curly green mane falling back a little bit to revealing the base of his horn...wait...he was an earth pony she had seen that earlier hadn't she? Tilting the foal back just a little the rest of his mane fell away to reveal—

In her life Rarity had never swore out loud. She had thoughts that were improper for a lady to have, yes, she was just a pony after all and not perfect. But the sight of the foal's little horn stopping halfway up, where it had been savagely cut off, was enough to make her accidently curse to high heaven in a child's face. Amid the questions of who might actually do something like that there was one point that was hammered home in Rarity's mind. This little man needed protection, and looking to the now expired pony beneath the wagon she would make sure that this foal got exactly that.

"He will be kept safe." She said, cuddling the child close to her neck, "I promise."

Then, Rarity took off running foal and all towards the sound of her friends coming up the road. Whatever emotional turmoil present in the mare's was mind offset by the need to get the foal to a hospital and make sure he was okay.

"Twilight!" She called, slowing to a trot as her friends approached, "Twilight, I need you to teleport myself and the foal to the Ponyville hospital."

The purple mare looked between Rarity, the foal, and the scene down the road and nodded.

"Alright, police ponies are on the way, Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Flutershy see if anything can be done to help the ponies down the road, I'll go with Rarity to the hospital and we'll all meet back there in an hour."

And it was with a nod from the others that Twilight, Rarity, and the foal disappeared in a flash of light, materializing in front of the hospital doors and rushing inside. Rarity all but left Twilight in her wake as she ran around other patients in the waiting room to the frot counter where she gently set the foal down.

"Nurse Redheart, this foal needs to be seen right away! Fluttershy and I found him along the side the road through Whitetail and his parents…" Rarity glanced between Twilight, the waiting room of ponies staring at her, and Nurse Redheart before her eyes fell once again on the foal. No. She would not let fears of her own social standing get in the way of helping somepony. Especially an innocent foal.

"His parents did not make it." She said quietly and with her hoof, gently moved his mane aside so his broken horn could be seen, "He was found like this."

"Oh my sweet C—" Redheart gasped and stopped herself. "Orderly, we need a gurney! Page Doctors Stable and Horse immediately! Don't worry, Rarity, we'll take care of him. Just wait here and I'll send someone for you once we know he's alright."

With that Nurse Redheart and the now crying foal, reaching for Rarity as the nurse picked him up, disappeared behind the counter and from view leaving only the receding sound of the his cries.

"Did I really just see – was his – was that…" Twilight stuttered and Rarity simply nodded.

"What would – why would – who would?" Twilight shook her head for a moment, "Who would do such a thing?! Taking a Unicorn's – That act is one of the most despicable crimes anypony—"

"I _KNOW_, Twilight." Snapped, all the built up fear, stress, and adrenaline finally burning through but leaving only regret in its wake. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap."

"What exactly happened out there before we arrived?" Twilight asked as she guided her friend to one of the seats in the waiting room.

"Oh, Twilight, It was simply the worst possible thing." Rarity sighed, earning a raised eyebrow from her friend. "And I don't mean the faux dramatic worst. Possible. Thing. That I usually go on about, I just..."

She paused and looked up at Twilight, sitting next to her. Wanting to support her in any way like a good friend should. Though she hadn't known the purple mare as long as she had Fluttershy or even Rainbow Dash, Rarity could still feel the warmth of her friendship. She had trusted this pony with her life on more than one occasion so why not trust her with the events Rarity witnessed? Traumatic as it may seem she could at least thank her lucky stars that she hadn't witnessed the attack personally, just the aftermath.

"I witnessed a pony die today, Twilight. Crushed by the wagon he was pulling during whatever attack came down on he and the mare I assume was his wife – or at least special somepony – the foal's hair color matched hers that is how I made the connection, but that isn't important." Rarity was never one to get lost in a conversation, always remaining in strict control of her emotions, as a lady must. She took a few deep breaths to silence the tightness in her chest before continuing.

"I promised the father that I would protect his son…just before he passed." Twilight gasped but Rarity continued before her friend could interrupt.

"I know, I _know_ what that means, Twilight. But you should have seen what was going on out there, the way they had been slain, the way the attack appeared to be carried out, the poor foal's horn! You and I of all ponies should be able to appreciate the gravity of what it takes to remove a Unicorn's horn and not kill the poor thing in the process." Rarity leaned forwards before she continued.

"I know what the laws are. I know what I did when I made that oath to the dying stallion, I know what changes are going to be coming into my life both terrible and wonderful by doing this, and I know that I am going to complain about it to anyone that will listen eventually. But what I don't know – or at least what I hope I know – is if you and the girls will still be there for me and help me protect him from whatever did this to his parents."

Rarity went on to explain exactly what happened that lead to the discovery of the foal as Twilight began to see her friend in something of a new light. Rarity was a smart pony, if a it dramatic sometimes, but knew what she was getting into and even though it wasn't ideal, she was taking on the challenge all the same simply because she had promised somepony else that she would. But as any analytical pony might, and for the sake of her friend, Twilight needed to be doubly sure that Rarity knew what she was getting herself into.

"So you know then, that Equestrian law says that if there is no next of kin for this foal that you will become his guardian, right?" Twilight asked, and Rarity nodded.

"And you know how hard it can be sometimes to take care of a foal, right?" Twilight pressed and Rarity swallowed before nodding once more.

"And you know that it's ridiculous to think that your friends wont be there for you if it comes to that right?" Twilight was smiling now, "Oh, Rarity, if you inherit this foal, of course we'll be there for you."

Rarity smiled. That was all she needed to hear even if her potential parenthood was still just a possibility, she needed to know that she would have help. But as the minutes turned to hours and still Nurse Redheart hadn't come back she began to worry once more. What if the foal had something else wrong? What of the opening where the horn had been hacked off had become infected? What if the poor thing had expired as well?! No. Rarity didn't let herself sink into a spiral of panic. She was better than that. She was a lady and would keep per composure until it could be kept no more.

She found herself pacing slowly around the waiting room noticing at one point that the greater half of her friends that hat remained at the attack site had returned to be with them. Twilight had explained everything that was going on to the group as Rarity continued to pace, grateful to not have to talk about it again and be able to focus on her worry for the foal. Shortly after that a couple detective ponies arrived and took statements from fluttershy and Rarity before speaking with Nurse Redheart. But they had left before Rarity could ask any of the three what was going on.

At one point Twilight had excused herself, saying she needed to send a letter to the Princess because of the nature of the crimes that had taken place. Apparently such evils had not been seen in Equistira in a very long time, and since the local police ponies would be sending the report to the Princess anyways Twilight had offered to expedite the process through Spike.

It wasn't until the sun was just beginning to touch the edge of the horizon that Nurse Redheart finally reappeared and called Rarity's name.

"What is it? Is he alright?!" She asked with a somewhat manic tone, charging to the counter.

"Yes, Rarity, he is fine. You may go back and see him now we have him setup in Pediatrics room two twelve. You may only take _one_ of your friends with you because there are sleeping children up there." She said.

"OH COME ON!" Rainbow Dash appeared, hovering above Rarity, "You mean we waited all this time for nothing?!"

"Yeah! Do you know how many cupcakes I could have made and eaten and made and eaten again?!" Pinkie added.

"Yeah, 'cause that reaction is exactly what'll get us in." Applejack said, deadpanned.

"Oh, hush! Both of you! Fluttershy, if you please." Rarity turned her head upward and trotted towards the hall with the butter yellow Pegasus in tow and stepped through when Redheart pushed the button to unlock the magnetic seal on the doors.

The two friends walked in comfortable silence through the sterile hospital halls, passing this room and that, some empty, some not. It wasn't until they had reached the elevator and Rarity magicked the button down to go up a floor that Fluttershy spoke.

"I – um – I think it's very brave what you're doing, Rarity." She half whispered, and Rarity paused, smiling to the mare next to her.

"Don't be coy, Fluttershy, you would have done the same thing given the opportunity." Rarity said, "But thank you."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Fluttershy's face began to warm and she looked down slightly so her mane would hide her face.

"Yes, well...it isn't a sure thing right now anyways. If we are luck a next of kin can be found and his own family will be able to protect him from…whatever happened out there." Rarity waived her hoof indifferently, but deep down she had a feeling that those ponies they had found out on the road may have been it.

"Oh look here we are!" She declared, glad to be saved from further discussion of what might lay ahead Rarity softly tapped on the door twice before pushing it open with her magic.

Sitting on a bed in the middle of the room was the foal, tugging at the annoying little plunger attached to his silver coat which in turn, was causing the heart monitor to flat line every now and then. The Doctor looked up from his chart as they entered, his messy carrot colored mane bouncing as he did.

"Yes, hello! I'm Doctor Horse!" He introduced himself, though they already knew who he was since Ponyville only had one Pediatric MD.

"I assume one of you is the caretaker of this spunky little lad, yes?"

It was then that the foal looked up at Rarity, the pointed to the doctor and said and waved his little hoof.

"Plah bo ba da ba da taah bo ba!" He little baby voice yelled, clearly unhappy with his present circumstances. He then tugged once more on the heart monitor cup.

"Aww, isn't he just so cute!" Fluttershy melted, trotting over to the other side of the bed.

"Clearly." Rarity watched the foal out of the corner of her eye and she could swear that he gave her the same look back before she turned to Dr. Horse.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Well…yes and no." The normally cheerful physician's tone darkened somewhat. "Though I have to say I've never seen a unicorn whose horn had been cut off like his has. I've seen pictures of horns that had been cracked or broken due to magical duress. In medical school I was present for the removal of a horn due to a magical illness and I have to say, his condition matches the latter."

"But a Unicorn this young can't control magic, right?" Fluttershy looked to Rarity.

"Yes, you are right, Fluttershy, to an extent. While in foalhood, a Unicorn will not have any control of their magic and as they age it will eventually go dormant until they are old enough to control it again."

"Quite right." Dr. Horse interjected, "I consulted with my colleague Doctor Stable on this matter – he is a unicorn himself after all – and if you look here…"

Dr. Horse leaned over the bed and with one leg, gently held the foal while gently pushing back the curly many to reveal the broken horn.

"These small fractures along the anterior and posterior area of the break tell a more violent story than anything I or Doctor Stable have seen in our practices since medical school. Specifically this crack here tells us that the upper portion of his horn was indeed removed because of a magical event. However, the magic that removed it was not his own, it appears that it was taken be force, as I told the detectives earlier."

While the good doctor was having the little show and tell he had poked and prodded the foal's horn a bit. Being a unicorn herself Rarity knew that while the horn itself did not have any nerve endings in it, there was a large cluster at its base to help control the magic that went through it. Thus the horn was actually a very sensitive part of a Unicorn when whole, never mind when it was injured or maimed. As the doctor set the foal back on the bed – the little guy swiped and missed at the doctor's face – Rarity lit her magic and picked him up, hovering him closer to her while rocking softly.

"Who would do something like that to a foal?" Fluttershy asked at length.

"I don't care to know. What I do know is that I have some things for whichever one of who is the foal's guardian." The stallion looked between them and Rarity nodded.

"While not yet officially in that capacity, I suppose for now that is me." Rarity said quietly.

"Auoh?" the foal asked, tilting his head at his supposed guardian.

"Right then, in that case here are some forms that need filled out, we took care of the medical portions as we could – as you can see we believe he is two based on the base size of his horn – however we left the name and residence portions blank. If you can't think of a suitable name or don't want the responsibility of naming him just write 'joe pony' there instead. If you have any questions just call for a nurse."

With that Dr. Horse trotted out of the room and down the hall.

There was silence for a moment before Rarity set the little guy back on the head of the bed, then crawled up on it herself and levitating the clipboard with her. Fluttershy smiled at the sight, watching Rarity fill out the paperwork before announcing that she was going to tell the girls that everything was okay, and sneak one in.

"What?" Rarity's eyes widened, "You mean you're going to leave me alone with him?!"

"Oh, um, only for a moment…if that's okay…Rainbow Dash said earlier that if I go back out there I can sneak her in then she can go back and sneak somepony else in then…um…she kind of lost me after that…sorry." Fluttershy blushed.

"But…but…alone!" Rarity protested.

"Oh, Rarity, he's just a foal, I'm sure you'll be okay…I think."

Before Rarity could protest Fluttershy grinned at her and winged her way out of the room.

She was now alone. With the foal. Just her and a baby pony. This was okay, he was only a child after all. Oh dear the little colt was looking at her like she was supposed to know what she was doing. But she didn't know what she was doing – she hadn't the faintest clue what she was doing. Of course she knew the basics of foal care but as far as raising one? She smiled at the little guy and after appraising her with his little blue eyes, he smiled back. Hopefully she could keep up the ruse that she knew what she was doing.

"A-alright little guy, let's get some paper work done."

"Bah bo pah." He replied as Rarity levitated a pen over the paperwork.

"Well I don't like it either but it has to be done." She said with a tone of authority and the little guy scrunched up his face. Rarity smiled inwardly, maybe she could do this after all given enough time.

"Alright then. Name?" She asked with a giggle.

"Auoh?" He responded.

"Hmm…you're a colt so you need a good strong name don't you? How about Prince Charming?" Rarity waved the pen with a flourish, and the foal simply stared at her like she had lobsters draped over her head.

"Alright then, how about Obsidian? Oh, don't look at me like that it is only a few shades darker than your coat on most color wheels." Rarity said.

"Auoh?" Was his eventual response.

"Silver is too feminine…how about Shine?"

"Auoh?"

"No I suppose that won't work either will it…hrm…well perhaps I should just put Joe Pony in there instead. Ugh, I'm terrible at this." Rarity sighed.

The foal scooted across the bed and tapped Rarity on the hoof to get her attention.

"Ba bo, Auoh?" He said, or asked, she was not sure which it was but at least it was cute. But why did he keep saying that little 'aughow' phrase? Maybe it was just his favorite baby sound, or one that was easy for him. Wait. That's it! Rarity's eyes widened in a moment of clarity and a smile spread across her face.

"Alright little one." She leaned down so she was at his level, "How about Arrow?"

"Auoh!" Arrow clapped his hooves together and laughed, "Auoh! Auoh! Auoh! Dah do Ba be ba!"

"Arrow it is then." She smiled and proceeded to start filling out the rest of the paperwork while the foal gibbered away happily. Arrow was a fine name for a little colt she supposed, it gave direction, could be a weapon to stand up for what's right, or simply fit the little guy.

Half way through the paperwork Rarity felt a small bit of pressure against her side and tore her eyes away from the hospital forms to find Arrow had fallen asleep against her, curled up in a little ball with his face pressed against her. She smiled as a small warmth spread through her chest, tempered by the events of the day thus far.

"Don't worry, Arrow." She whispered and magicked part of the blanket over the foal, "I'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you again."

Rarity didn't know what the future held since she was a fashionista and not an oracle, but what she did know is that she had made both this small foal and the stallion she assumed was the father a promise. She had offered to take in an orphan foal and if no family could be found to take him, raise the colt herself. It would probably be the most generous promise she had ever made in her life and though she knew there would be challenges ahead with finding the foal's family and such. Rarity was committed to seeing it all through – regardless of the path her future took.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two: Shadows and a Mess_**

A squirrel sat on the branch of a tree, deep in the Everfree forest watching its prey carefully. His hind legs were holding his little fuzzy rear in the air, coiled like a spring ready to go, his front little hands holding the branch he was perched on as his eyes locked on the giant acorn swaying in the breeze. The confounded thing was on the farthest branch on the tree and couldn't be reached by simply climbing down the branch on which it still held a tenuous grip, and the branch on which he sat ready to jump was the closest he could get to it but the thing was still a good distance away. Maybe too far to reach by jumping…but he had to try. His little squirrel mate, carrying his little squirrel children was counting on him to finish the stash of nuts before winter, and this one nut would put it over the top! If only he could reach it! He would be the best squirrel husband ever!

Leaning back a little more on his haunches to get that little bit of extra bounce, he waited until the breeze blew both the leaves out of the way, and the acorn closer then pushed as hard as he could with his rear paws, catapulting himself towards his objective. Closer and closer, he just might make it! Closer! CLOSER! FARTHER! Farther. Shoot. The squirrel twisted in the air to land on his feet, spinning his tail like a pinwheel before landing with a crunch of dry grass on the forest floor.

"What wuz that?" A voice said and the squirrel froze.

"I don't know, it sounded like it came from over there." A different, harsher voice said. The squirrel didn't like the sound of the second voice, it sounded like a growling timber wolf. Glancing up at the acorn with his eyes, the squirrel decided there were probably safer places he could gather nuts, and slowly began to move away.

Red light flashed through the bushes contacting the squirrel in the chest, flinging him into the air until his body connected hard with the tree and fell to the ground, lifeless. The sound of hooves through the grass came closer until a burly male Zebra was standing over the small body, a wickedly curved dagger in his mouth that was sheathed a moment later.

"It just be a tree rat, Master." The Zebra chuckled, "Nothn' more."

"Good." The Master said, "The last thing we need is for a pony to find us out here. Let us continue, Korick."

"Yes, Master." The Zebra's muscles flexed beneath his stripped coat as he took the lead once more, not so much guiding The Master to their destination as making sure he was in front of any ambush that might happen. Not that they expected that to happen, but The Master was careful like that. Always planning, always in control.

Korick had served The Master as muscle for hire for ten years before being promoted to his personal bodyguard. Not that The Master needed it, from what Korick had witnessed in the past he could protect himself just fine with those talismans he wore all the time. Even when hooded and cloaked like he was now. But Korick wasn't being paid to think he was being paid to look intimidating and if necessary, his knife skills to make a point. His cutie mark after all was the outline of a thrown knife in flight. Not colored like the silly ponies of this land, but black, matching his coat.

He didn't even know The Master's name. He didn't need too. Korick didn't want to either since he heard the rumors in his own land that those who learned The Master's name were never heard of again. And so it was that Korick led The Master up the shallow incline of a path known only to those looking for it, around a winding bend here, beyond a bush there, deeper and deeper into the forest until around a final corner, they found their destination in the form of a small cave, flanked by a pair of ponies much larger, and burlier than Korick was, with a campfire off to the side.

The Master stopped next to his bodyguard, yellow eyes beneath his brown hood narrowing bit. Here he would meet with the group of ponies he had hired to bring back the horn of the foal that was stolen from him. Not that he hadn't stolen the foal in the first place but that was beside the point. That particular issue had already been dealt with long ago, more immediate concerns were weather or not this group of half wits had used the talisman he had given them, or brought the foal to the cave for him to preform the procedure. He hoped for the former, but expected the latter.

Trotting forwards, still cloaked with his bodyguard at his side The Master stopped just short of the cave entrance when the two large stallions moved together to block his path.

"Payment first." The one on the left demanded, and the one on the right nodded in agreement.

The Master looked between them, annoyed.

"You are brave ponies, I'll give you that." He said in a low tone. "Let me pass to speak with your leader, Korick here will take care of your payment. It is in his saddlebags."

The Master was smaller than these ponies, but did not fear them. Their attention was so easily controlled by the Bit that they both subsequently ignored The Master and trotted to where Korick was digging around in his saddlebags. Trotting forwards into the cave the hooded pony did not have to go far before reaching a small table with several lanterns on it, where two ponies were discussing what they were going to do with their payment once it was received.

The Master smiled.

"There you are! I hope you didn't forget about our arrangement, we had to go through a lot to find that little brat you told us about." The red pony said, flipping his long blue mane from his eyes.

"Yeah! My brother and I had to do twice as much work to make sure we didn't get caught, so our payment better be double, or you're in trouble!" The green pony slammed his hoof on the makeshift table.

"Really, Nut? A rhyme?" The red one asked.

"Shut up, Crank, you're just jealous of my mad lyric skills!"

"Both of you be silent." The Master spoke with authority, "I tire of your bickering."

"And we're tired of spending our own money for your cause!" Crank pointed a hoof at The Master. "Pay up! Or we're gonna make ya!"

"Fear not, my servant is paying the ponies outside as we speak, but before I let you join them for your share of the gold colored festivities, I believe you have some things of mine." The Master was growing impatient. He had waited a long time to get back what was his, and had half a mind to simply blow these ponies to the seventh level of the underworld if he did not get his way soon.

"Yeah, yeah, here." Nut produced a bag from under the table and tossed it at The Master, who caught it deftly with his hoof. Opening the bag he found both his talisman, and a conical shaped object with grooves on the wider end. He studied these for a moment before he was satisfied that the foal's horn had been removed halfway up from the base, as instructed, and hid the bag away beneath his cloak.

"You have done well…yes." He said, shifting his position slightly. "So well that your payment shall be more than we agreed."

"Yeah? Like, how much?!" Nut eyes widened in anticipation.

"Much, much more."

Red light flashed from beneath The Master's cloak, binding both the earth ponies to the ground and gagging them with a smoke like rope in one swift motion. Fear filled both the ponies eyes as The Master produced a wand with a large crystal on one end from somewhere inside his cloak, and smiled at them while chanting in a strange language.

But soon enough it was made all too apparent what was happening as his chants intensified, both ponies struggled to keep themselves inside their own bodies. It was as if an invisible rope was pulling them inexorably towards their deaths and with the sound of tearing paper, their souls were ripped from their bodies and held aloft just in front of The Master.

"Yes…your payment has been upgraded to becoming my servants, congratulations. As long as you are bound to this crystal, you are bound to serve its master."

At once the terrified souls of the ponies swirled ever smaller until they collided with the crystal on his wand, and disappeared, plunging the cave into darkness save for the light coming from the opening a ways back. Apparently the lamps had been put out at some point by the whirlwind of magic, and his hood had dropped to his back. The Zebra quickly replaced the head cover, concealing his face and glanced once more around the cave before trotting out the entrance.

"Come, Korick. We are going to the Ghastly Gorge." He said, noting simultaneously that Korick was now standing alone, the campfire was much larger than it had been when they arrived, and the air smelled of cooking meat.

As always, The Master was in control.

Rarity adjusted her red, horn rimmed glasses as she read over the copy of the official police report she had been provided with, the original obviously given to Mayor Mare for a look over. It had been three days since Arrow had come home with Rarity from the hospital and to save her budget from having to be completely rearranged she had graciously accepted some diapers, formula, and bottles from the Cakes and Pinkie, an old crib that Rainbow Dash had for some reason – she didn't ask – and a few old toys that Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy managed to find.

She was set for a week thanks to her friends but beyond that she would need to provide her own means to care for the little guy, and it seemed as though that decision had finally been made for her. According to the report, the stallion and mare's names were Bracer, and Lilly. No surnames listed with their cutie marks in the official records. No grandparents. No uncles or aunts. No cousins. In fact other than the parental lines of both Bracer and Lilly there was no family listed, both the ponies had been listed as the only children of their respective parents. Rarity sighed.

_Here we go then…_ She thought, her chest tightening a bit. _My first day official day of motherhood. It wont be that bad, will it?_

When the report had been delivered, the police pony explained the situation in a nutshell, and informed her that Mayor Mare would probably be by later to discuss the promise that Rarity had made. Rarity knew that the Mayor would be coming with adoption paperwork, it was only fitting but the prospect of having to make it all official was still somewhat daunting. Perhaps she would invite one of the girls over for moral support. She supposed she was fortunate though. Sweetie Belle had been with their parents over the last week or so in Manehatten and would be coming back to stay with Rarity soon, so her dear sister would come back having missed the whole road incident. Wouldn't _that_ be a fun conversation when they finally returned. Hi Mom and Dad, guess what? I'm a mother now! And the best part is I didn't even have to do the hard work of finding a special somepony, getting married, or having sex!

That was going to go over well.

Rarity levitated her reading glasses to the table and rubbed the base of her horn, then glanced around the little shop she called home. Everywhere was dresses, supplies, needles, machines, ponyquins, heavy bolts of cloth, heavy and sharp gems and jewels…this was probably the least baby proof home in all of Eqeustria. She was sure that there were metal foundries that were safer for a foal than her home.

Fortunately, however, Rarity had no clients booked for the day so she could afford to close for a while and get some much needed shopping, reorganizing, and visiting done. She also wanted to stop by the clinic to ask Dr. Horse about Arrow's horn growing back. When she was younger she had chipped her horn at some point and it had grown in just fine, not even a mark of the damage, so she assumed that Arrow's horn would grow back as well. It still bothered her that someone would do something like that to a foal, to a creature so innocent. Her heart burned with righteous fury as she thought about what she might to do the culprit should he ever be brought to justice.

Taking a deep breath to clear her head Rarity stood from the seat at her desk and quietly walked up the stairs to Sweetie's room where Arrow's crib currently was – space for everypony was another issue that needed to be addressed – and slowly nudged the door open with a blue flick from her horn to the knob.

"Auoh?" Arrow asked from his bed. He was sitting up with a stuffed, plushy, red butterfly in his hooves. The toy that had been given to him by Fluttershy and he had deemed it his favorite. He apparently had also not taken a nap, though she halfway expected that. Since bringing him home Rarity had slept with the poor thing in her own bed for the first two nights or he wouldn't stop screaming.

"Did you sleep well little one?" Rarity asked, knowing what the answer was, "Well, I suppose I wouldn't sleep well either if I had been through that. You're being such a little trooper."

She praised the little colt, and Arrow responded by chewing on the corner of his stuffed butterfly and drooling a bit.

"Let's get you ready then, we have a busy day ahead of us and I want you to be on your best behavior." She said, sounding more chipper than she actually felt for the sake of the foal. That's what good mothers did…right?

"Ba Bo Ba?" Arrow asked as Rarity levitated him from his crib to the floor and changed his diaper, making an 'Ew! Icky!' sort of face as she threw the diaper away with her magic that made the foal laugh. Once his diaper was changed Rarity levitated him onto her back and walked across the hall to her own room, plunking the small colt onto the desk portion of her vanity and taking a seat in front of him.

"And now to do something about that messy mane of yours." Rarity gently pushed his curly, green locks away from his horn so she wouldn't hit it with the brush by mistake and went to work on his mane and tail. She would brush this way, detangle that way, pull a hair here, tug there, and almost half an hour later his mane and tale looked exactly as it did when she started.

"You know, Arrow, I think you could give Pinkie Pie a run for her money for the most tangled mess of a mane in Equestria." Rarity huffed, glancing at her clock on the wall. "But I suppose that is as good as it is going to get."

Her eye twitched.

Before her almost obsessive need to have everything be perfect took over, Rarity turned around and took a deep breath forcing herself to be alright with the situation. His Mane and Tail were curly and green – there was nothing wrong with that – never mind the incident a year earlier where that haughty show mare had turned her hair green for a day…Rarity shuttered at the memory. She had nothing against the little foal but green was never really her favorite color, or even in her top ten colors.

A knock at her door brought Rarity back to the present, and taking Arrow with her she trotted down stairs and answered the summon a moment later.

"Hello, Rarity, I assume you know why I'm here?" Mayor Mare smile genuinely. "I assure you it won't take long."

"Oh of course, please come in. I was giving myself the day off today anyways to take care of some things." Rarity said but didn't move right away to let the Mayor in. It was as if her hooves were glued to the floor and a full thirty seconds before she finally stepped aside to let the mare in.

The white unicorn had to wonder what the heck was wrong with her. She was a lady. She never let her emotions get the better of her unless the situation called for it and clearly, this situation did not warrant her heart trying to pound its way through her chest. Leading the Mayor to the sitting area, where there was also a conveniently placed coffee table, Rarity sat, setting Arrow on the couch next to her and waited for Mayor Mare to speak again.

"Well, um, I guess there is no easy way to put this, Rarity. But after researching the issue of the foal and your promise with your friend, Twilight Sparkle, it seems that you are only honor bound to take care of this little colt. Now I saw honor bound because the law itself is such an old one that I took the liberty of appealing to Princess Celestia on your behalf, regarding this law. She is aware of the going ons because of the nature of the crime you and Fluttershy stumbled upon, as you know, and though this law is meant to quote: 'inherit responsibilities of foals or children left behind by the dying or deceased parental units when sworn or promised by a non blood related party, when immediate or extended family units are unwilling, or unable to take in said children' served a purpose once upon a time, I believe it does little for society as a whole in this more civilized age – and the Princess agrees with me.

"However, until the law is actually taken off the books it is still the law of the land. But before we go through all this paperwork I must let you know that the Princess is willing to grant a reprieve from this law if you wish it, and simply give the foal up for adoption instead. Your business has been a great boon to Ponyville's economy, Rarity, and I ask that you take this into consideration before you make a decision that could impact your business and customers."

"And thus my contribution in taxes." Rarity finished coldly.

"Erm – that is—"

"Do not mistake me for a fool making promises I did not intend to keep or could not keep, Mayor Mare." Rarity rose to her hooves. While the Mayor had been speaking Rarity's feelings had gone from a simply acceptance of what she was now required to do by law, to a small glimmer of what life might be like if she did just adopt him out to another pony, to white hot rage at Mayor Mare's reasoning for wanting Rarity to opt out.

"And from the _Mayor_ of all ponies, you should be _ashamed_, Mayor Mare." Rarity's eyes narrowed, "The scandal of a _Mayor_ trying to convince another pony to not do what is right simply because it may be more convenient or easy than to actually do the right thing? My _word_ I've never heard of such a lack of foresight and wisdom in any of Canterlot's noble circles. The mere thought of something like that being tied back to my boutique would be far more damaging to any of my client base than anything Arrow could do!"

Rarity paused to take a breath, throwing a blanket over the inner fire. She was a lady after all and even in the face of this budgetary concerned…toad of a mare…she would not loose her temper. Especially in front of a foal, never mind the other mare. In her mind she could see that glimmer of life without a foal of her own disappear in a puff of smoke.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to shout, Mayor Mare, but please understand that I'm taking this foal in because it is the right thing to do. Surely you have read the report from the detectives, he doesn't have anyone else and clearly needs protection from whatever sick pony took the upper half of his horn. While I know that I may have my own hesitations about raising him, I know I can protect him, and I have my friends to help me." Rarity sat back down as she spoke, smiling down at Arrow who smiled back and gibbered on before hopping off the couch and wandering to other parts of the home.

"No…no need to apologize, Rarity. Please, forgive me for overstepping my bounds it's been a rough year for Ponyville's budget and I was round-a-boutly taking it out on you." Mayor Mare looked down while speaking. "Since it appears you've already made a decision regarding whether or not you will be keeping the foal—"

"Arrow." Rarity interrupted.

"Of course, because it seems you've already made your decision lets get this paperwork out of the way so you can go about your business." Mayor Mare reached into her saddlebags and with her mouth pulled out a few pages worth of paperwork, setting them on the coffee table.

"This first page simply states that you are accepting that the old law still applies, as I said it has not come up in a very long time. The second two sheets are the acknowledgement form for adoption, including the form for confirmation that you are taking full guardianship of the fo—err, Arrow, and acknowledging that he is becoming your sole responsibility and so forth." Mayor Mare said, waving her hoof about as though this were an every day occurrence.

Rarity read over everything, signing as she went with a pen grasped in her magic until she came to the final sheet. She had made this decision three days ago but that still didn't change the fact that signing a piece of paper was about to change her life forever. But she had thought this through. She had weighed the pros and cons, she had just argued for this very thing to be put in front of her. With a renewed determination Rarity signed the final form making Arrow her adopted foal.

Her foal.

A small smile played at the edge of her lips, and a simultaneous crash and poof came from the kitchen.

"Well that should be all then I'll just get the notarized and send you a copy in the mail, ta-ta!" The Mayor grabbed the paperwork with a knowing grin and was out the door before Rarity had even risen from the sofa.

Grumbling, the alabaster mare quickly trotted to the kitchen to find that somehow, Arrow had opened the pantry, climbed up the shelves like a ladder, and then fallen from the top shelf. Fortunatly he appeared unhurt since he landed on a large bag of flour. Unfortunately, he landed on a large bag of flour and was now as white as Rarity, the pantry, and much of the dining area. Including the ceiling, the crown molding, the baseboards, the pantry door, and the slats in the floor.

"How in the name of…" Rarity started to ask how he managed to fling the powdery substance so high and evenly but stopped herself and turned her attention to Arrow.

"Arrow! What have you done?" She scolded, "My goodness, there's flour everywhere! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Ba!" He squealed in delight and threw more flour over himself.

Rarity narrowed her eyes but couldn't fight off the urge that the corners of her mouth had to raise again, and sighed.

"Note to self, buy foal proofing equipment for the kitchen and lock the creative room's door from now on." She magically plucked the little guy from the small mound of flour and set him in the empty sink where he couldn't get away.

It was also at this precise moment that the bell from the front of her home tolled, telling her somepony had come into the Boutique. Great, the last thing she needed in the middle of this mess was to have to attend to a customer who couldn't read the _closed_ sign on the front window.

"Rarity are you home?" Her little sister called.

Even worse, it was family! She wasn't ready to deal with them!

"We decided to head home from Manehatten a day early, I hope you don't mind." Her mother added.

The bell rang again and Rarity heard another voice join the chorus of people who were about to see how much of a failure she was starting out in motherhood.

"Oh! Hello Doctor Stable!" She could hear her mother through the kitchen door, "What brings you here?"

"Just checking up on the foal Rarity took in personally, it's my day off but this guy is a special case so I thought I would drop in, is she here?" The good Doctor asked.

"E-excuse me?" Her father asked.

"That's right, you travel…" Stable mused.

"Hey look there's someone in the kitchen! Maybe she just can't hear us." Her sister called and Rarity noticed that the sun was shining through the window in such a way that her shadow fell across the bottom of the door.

Curse her luck! She could hear hoof falls coming towards the kitchen as her family was about to meet her adopted son, in the sink, covered in flour just like most of her kitchen. Her eye twitched and as the swinging door for the kitchen began to open, Rarity swore out loud for the second time of her life.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm sorry." Rarity said for the fifteenth time in the last five minutes, "All of this happened so suddenly, I must be the worst mother in all of Eqeustria."

"Rarity, we're still gettin' used to the fact that you suddenly have a foal of your own." Her Father remarked while cleaning up the last of the flour, and was silenced from speaking further with a glare form Rarity's mother.

"What your father means, is that this seems very sudden, Rarity. We're just worried about you is all." Her mother added while wrapping a towel around Arrow, having rinsed him off in the sink.

"I don't think you have to worry about Rarity at all, she'll be a great mom." Sweetie Belle added then gasped, "OH MY GOSH! This means that I'm an Aunt now and he's my Nephew! I need to give him stuff!"

Before anyone could say anything to dissuade her Sweetie rushed from the kitchen and up the stairs.

"As I was saying…Worst. Mother. Ever." Rarity plopped her head on the table dramatically.

"Oh you are not, Rarity, I never told you this but when you were just a little foal and I was still a much younger mother I was doing laundry while you played in the room next to me, but once the laundry was all done I couldn't find you anywhere." Rarity's mother laughed.

"So I looked everywhere I could think of in the house, even called your father home to help, and it was an hour before we heard something commin' from the linen closet and opened it to find you curled up on top of the clean sheets, snoring away."

"I do not snore, _Mother_." Rarity glared.

"Point is, just take it easy on yourself. You're our daughter, Rares, we know a little bit about you and we know that you like to get caught up in the details of things – while that makes you a great designer, you'll kill yourself trying to do that as a mother." Her father added as he finished cleaning the flour and pulled a seat next to Rarity.

"I'll try. But it will be very difficult for me to do so, you know." Rarity sat up and glanced over at Arrow, who smiled at her.

"So you…really think I can do this?" She asked at length.

Her mother gave her an appraising look and brought Arrow over to the table with her magic, setting him in front of her and taking the seat next to her daughter.

"Auoh?" he asked.

"Well, Rarity, that's up to you." Her mother replied, "I'll be honest, it's not easy by any means. In fact it'll be the hardest thing you will ever do. Your whole life will become a circle with this little guy here in the center – oh sure it'll get easier in some ways and harder in others as he gets older but you know what? It'll all be worth it in the end. I can't tell you why or how, but I can tell you that you'll know why it's worth it when the time is right."

After a moment of silence, Rarity finally replied telling her mother that her statement while well intentioned was decidedly unhelpful then announced that she was going to go upstairs to freshen up before running her errands. Upstairs, she locked the door to her bedroom before trotting over to her vanity and taking a seat. Appraising herself Rarity noted that the mare in the mirror looked somewhat different than she thought she would. She had expected an unholy mess with bloodshot eyes and a sagging coat as she often thought single mothers looked but her reflection told a different story.

Her mane was still mostly perfectly in place, her alabaster coat was still quite white and supple, and the only real change she could see was in her eyes themselves. The blue orbs seemed to hold a different sort of look than what she had seen just days earlier, though the difference was subtle. She couldn't tell what it was, but she liked how it made her look...older, somewhat more dignified.

Perhaps it was just one of those things.

Freshening up once more from the…randomness…of her family stopping by and the little incident with the pantry, Rarity headed back downstairs and magicked to herself the tube of healing salve that Doctor Stable had given her to help Arrow's horn heal. He had told her that while he may need horn surgery in the future to repair the damage permanently, for now if she applied this salve to the injured part of the horn once a day it would keep it from getting infected. She would just have to style his hair in such a way to cover the small horn so other ponies wouldn't stare. It was only humane for the poor little colt, and her own appearances.

Placing the salve in her saddle bags then hovering them over her back, Rarity gathered Arrow from her parents who were busy fawning over and baby talking the colt then went out the door to heading first towards Twilight's home. In the background she could swear she heard hearing her sister saying 'aw man!' about something.

Doctor Stable had been nice enough to give her a home visit so she didn't need to go that direction and thought seeing her friend could help her feel better about the situation and if she was lucky, learn more of what happened to Arrow's late family. Well, what was now her family she guessed – though that was still a thought she had to get used to.

"Hey, Rarity!" A familiar voice called form behind.

"Oh, Hello Spike. I was just on my way to see Twilight, perhaps you could accompany me?" She asked.

"Bo? Bo? Bo?" Her saddlebags jiggled as Arrow bounced.

"And Arrow."

"So it's true then, Twilight told me you were maybe adopting a little colt and I...Uhh" Spike paused, looking quite sheepish for a moment.

"Totally believed her." He finished with a fake grin.

"Of course you did my Spikey-Wikey, and yes I did adopt him officially this morning, though I've been taking care of him since Fluttershy and I found him amongst that...scene...in the woods." She said.

"Yeah, that's pretty, uh, heavy stuff." Spike added, his tone somewhat wary. "So to the Library then?"

"Erm…yes."

That was odd. Spike was never uncomfortable around Rarity. If anything he was more comfortable around her than he was around other ponies. Perhaps that was an unintended consequence of having Arrow with her all the time now which was something that hadn't occurred to her before. She mused that her clients would probably be fine seeing a foal playing in the other room while she helped them, though how that would actually work remained to be seen.

At the library, Rarity found Twilight sitting at the largest table with all assortments of books on magic surrounding her, some open on the table some held aloft by semi-permanent hovering charms, some simply stacked by the edge of the table.

"Doing a little light reading, Darling?" Rarity asked as Spike continued on towards the kitchen.

"Something like that, I'm just finishing checking every geneology table, tree, census records, and immigration forms I could get my hooves on to see if I could shed any light on your little guy's past and what may have lead to the situation he's in. And on this side of the table I've been researching horn growth rates and how that may affect magic throughout his life because I was curious." Twilight grinned and with a flash, teleported from inside her little book fort to directly in front of Rarity and her foal.

"Zecora will be stopping by soon too – she offered to help me when I saw her in the market the other day."

"A unicorn must have his horn." A familiar voice came from behind Rarity, who turned around to see her Zebra friend standing in the doorway.

"The tale I've heard is rather sad, I've heard he's lost his Mom and Dad. So today I have travelled here, to see if I can help the dear." She said.

"Thank you." Rarity said, adding Zecora to her ever growing list of people she needed to somehow thank in the future. Whether it be making them a dress or personal item, or something else she hadn't thought of yet the heralded Element of Generosity was beginning to feel like she had quite the tab of favors and gifts stacking against her. She loved to help other ponies in need or bestow gifts and favors whenever she could – It made her feel whole to be able to do so – also it made her eye twitch when she couldn't.

Ever since Arrow had come into her life there was a never ending stream of generosity that instead of going outward from Rarity, was going in. She swore that if she didn't get a chance to be nice to some other pony soon she was going to go mad.

"Don't worry, Rarity, it is fine. Now let us see this – Oh dear – I must steer clear! I'm sorry to say but keep him away!" Zecora exclaimed and backed away from Rarity and Arrow.

"Zecora? Are you alright?" Twilight asked.

"I do not want to earn your scorn, so I must tell you of the mark on his horn. I warn you it could not be much worse, your foal, Rarity, has a horn that is cursed." She said.

Rarity looked to Twilight, who shrugged, then back to Zecora.

"I've already said more than I should, but this child's fate does not look good. Where I am from there is different magic, not willed by hoof, or wing or, horn. Through ancestors whose passing is tragic, we've learned to heal and fight off scorn. But there were those who from the start chose power over the healing art. So into darkness they descended, seeking power not recommended. Through bloodletting and murder too, they found the secrets of black Voodoo."

"What?" Twilight interjected, Rarity had been watching her friends disbelief build up as Zecora spoke. "Voodoo is just a myth according to everything I've read about Zebrica is unable to confirm whether or not your people even have as much magic as an earth pony…err…no offence."

"No offence is taken, Twilight. It is hard to study what is not in your sight. My 'magic' if you will is from, the spirits of ancestors already gone. Through practice and the spoken word, what spirits say can now be heard, and though I'd teach you if I could, I don't think you'd be very good." Twilight let out a little huff when Zecora finished. "The problem now is what we should do, to counter the one who is using Voodoo."

"So then this…Voodoo…as you say. There's nothing good that comes from that kind of magic? Is it purely evil?" Rarity asked, hoping there was a way that her little colt would just have some bad luck instead of a full blown curse. She didn't know much about magic when compared to Twilight, but she knew what curses were enough to know that was very, very bad.

"Unlike the magic from a horn, a Voodoo curse is like a thorn. It pricks and sticks, it's always there, and must be removed with special care. Each curse is different with one thing the same, it functions as a two edged blade. So if we can find who did this sin, the curse can be turned back, on him." The Zebra shamaness explained.

"Zecora, this could really jumpstart the research I was going to do with Arrow today, do you have any books at your cottage I could look at?" Twilight asked.

"Writing a shaman's ways is absurd, our traditions pass through spoken word." She said simply, and continued after a moment's thought.

"But if I go back to my home, I could retrieve a special tome…it does not show my ways and skills, but could see those gaps in your learning filled. So if I travel right away, I could be back before midday."

"Great! I'll see you around lunch time then!" Twilight beamed and Zecora bade her goodbyes, donned her cloak, and trotted back the way she came.

"So what have you found out about his lineage then?" Rarity asked once the front door was shut.

"Not really, I did find his lineage back to his great grandparents but that was it." Twilight sighed, "It sounds absurd, but the male and female as far back on records that we have were all only children. His mother and father, their mothers and fathers, and their mothers and father's mothers and fathers are all only children in their respective families."

"What? That's possible?" Rarity mused and looked back at her little colt who was trying to rappel off her haunches using her saddlebags, and succeeded with a little help.

"I didn't think so but I've double and triple checked, then double checked the triple check – he's the only one left in his family tree." Twilight frowned, "That aside, I think I found a way to cover his horn wound and keep infection out at the same time."

"Oh…err…thank you. But Doctor Stable gave me this salve to apply once a day and – well I haven't used it yet so I really can't say if I have an opinion on how well it works or doesn't." Rarity admitted and lifted the small bottle from her saddlebags with her blue magic field, before depositing them on a peg by the front door.

"Ugh, don't open it then, I'd bet my horn that it smells terrible. When I was young I knew a little colt that split his horn in a nasty fall. It healed completely but the whole school had to deal with the smell of rotten eggs mixed with sewage for five months." Twilight magicked the tube from Rarity and after studying it for a moment, twitched her head upwards launching it in a long arch across the great room and into the trash bin.

Arrow laughed and clopped his front hooves together.

"Trust me, Rarity, I'm doing you a favor." Twilight said.

The lavender unicorn then turned back to her desk and picked up a small object, floating it over to Rarity to examine. It was a silvery dome shaped object, with three tiny legs spaced evenly on the bottom of the dome. It was smooth on the top and rather plain looking – it could probably do with an engraving or something to spruce it up – only the inside seemed to shimmer a bit as she turned it with her own magic to see all the angles of the…of the…

"What is it?" She asked.

"It's a helmet!" Twilight beamed, "A tiny little helmet for his tiny little horn! But it's better than that, I've cast a spell on the inside of it that makes it permanently antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral. Also I've put a permanent sizing charm on it so as it he grows it will grow with him."

As Twilight was speaking Rarity took the little helmet and slid it onto the top of Arrow's cut off horn, with much protesting from the foal, who then quieted once the small device was affixed securely enough that it wasn't going anywhere.

"Do you really think he'll have to wear it that long?" Rarity asked, imagining what it would be like for her son if his horn were still broken come school age.

But Twilight didn't answer right away, which never boded well. Rarity looked to her friend who pawed at the ground with her front hoof and avoided eye contact while pretending to look at a stack of books.

"Twilight, what don't you want to tell me?" Rarity pressed.

"Well…you see the thing is..." She sighed, "Because Arrow's horn was a clean break, near enough to the middle of his horn it's not going to grow back on its own. His only hope to have a horn that can function with magic is going to be if we find the upper portion and its grafted back onto him, which is a very experimental and risky surgery so…what I'm trying to say is…I don't think he'll ever have a normal life, Rarity."

Rarity pursed her lips as she watched the young colt, who was now trying unsuccessfully to scale the book cases as if it were a cliff. She had to deal with the fact that he wasn't going to live the life of a normal Unicorn now…no magic school, no friends to relate to…her eye twitched again.

"Well I'm sure that he will do fine." She said sounding more like she was trying to convince herself it was true, "I'm sure he'll be able to learn how to live like an earth pony easily from such a young age, even if not as well as one."

"Oh Rarity, I'm sure he'll be just fine." Twilight said.

"Do you?!" Rarity snapped, the pressure and sudden stress of being responsible for a foal finally breaking through the dams she had created in her mind releasing a flood of emotions she could no longer control.

"I've adopted a foal, today, Twilight. A _FOAL_! Please, will one of my friends tell me what in the name of Celestia's used tissue paper was I thinking?! I can't do this! I have a business to run and build on top of raising my sister for almost half of each year and now I'm going to bring a little _foal_ into this madhouse?! And_ SPEAKING_ of houses, have you been do my home? It is possible that it is the most unsafe place a child could stay in all of our_ WORLD!_And you're going stand there and tell me that he will be fine? _How_, Twilight, how how how for the love of Celestia and Luna is that possible,_ HOW?!_"  
Rarity took deep, uneven breaths while Twilight used her magic to fix her own mane. All of the house's occupants were staring at Rarity, even spike who had appeared in the archway between the kitchen and great room. Then Twilight cleared her throat.

"He'll be fine because he has _you_ as a mother, Rarity. I don't know much about raising foals, but I do know that if you care enough to freak out like that, then he will be fine in your care." She assured her friend.

While she spoke, Arrow had abandoned his attempts to scale the bookcase and trotted over to where Rarity was standing and looked up at her.

"Ma?" He asked with worry in his little blue eyes.

"Oh dear, umm…" Rarity faltered, her panic and anger vanishing like mist in the wind. She had never thought about the probability that she would become his mother in his eyes. At length she said her own name to him instead.

"Ma?" He said again.

"No, no dear, Rarity." She repeated.

"Ma?" His voice cracked and he reached his fore hooves up towards her.

Rarity looked to Twilight who silently urged her on then to spike, who did the same thing. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Maybe her clients would understand how her situation had changed at home. Maybe aliens would come down from the sky and take her away to a land made of cheese.

But when her gaze returned to the little colt in front of her, with his legs outstretched, eyes pleading for her to accept what he saw in her there was nothing else she could do. She picked up Arrow with her light blue magic and held him close to her neck, where she nuzzled into his coat, and he into hers.

"It's okay, little one. Mommy is here." She sat, keeping her little colt close to her with her magic and fore hooves – redundant love never hurt anyone after all.

With a smile on her face, Twilight quietly walked into the kitchen, shepherding her own little one along with her to give Rarity and her adopted son a moment's peace before they would begin testing if he could still use his magic someday.

Zecora trotted quickly down the trails of Everfree, trying to make it to her little hut as quick as she could without looking suspicious. The situation was bad, very, very bad. Voodoo had been all but eradicated in her country with only several sects surviving the quiet purge of evil in her land, and the only reason those sects survived was because they were extremely powerful in the craft.  
The upswing to all of that was that what little Voodoo practitioners at home still existed generally wanted to be left alone, but there was one she could think of that didn't. There was one Zebra she could think of that wanted nothing but power and would stop at nothing to get it. If he was the one that truly came to this land then she hoped the power of the Elements of Harmony would be enough to stop him, should it come to that.

But as she traveled down her well worn path a large figure stepped from the shadows of the woods and into the path some twenty yards ahead, bringing Zecora instantly to a halt.

"Ya goin' somewhere, Witch Docta?" The figure sounded amused he had stopped her, putting Zecora on edge as he stepped forward a few paces.

"Me boss sent me ta find you – sayz he needs me ta…take care of you…as I do." He mocked.

Zecora could make out the figure now, a Zebra who was almost as big as a certain apple farmer she knew. Along his flanks were numerous throwing and other curved blades, all specially made for one thing, and one thing only.

The Zebra before her was an assassin.

"Okay, I'll play your little game, but first you must tell me your name." Zecora asked, stalling for time. Underneath her cloak she was slowly twisting her barrel so a certain flask that she always carried with her would fall to her hooves when the time was right.

"I am Korick, student of da five blades and servant of the Master." He boasted, Zecora smirked inwardly he was very confident to be giving information like that out, but she knew who the five blades monks were as well and how dangerous and evil member of their sect could be. Caution was important in this situation, and as he moved towards her the bottle dropped, behind her leg where he could not see it and opened when it landed on the dirt, releasing an invisible mist.

"So what I thought then seems to be true, the Master has come, and so have you. Tell me then, does he feed you well? You look weak in your legs, and sick in your tail." She taunted.

"Da Master gives me all I need, witch! I'm twice the size you are so ya be in a bad place to be callin' me small!" He yelled through clenched teeth, and Zecora simply chuckled.

"You think you're smart but you're a fool, The Master never keeps his tools." She remarked and Korick snapped, grabbing his largest throwing knife with his teeth and sending it rocketing at her in one swift motion. Cutting through the shameness and out the other side where the blade buried itself in a tree.

But instead of blood and giblets the image of Zecoa was cut in two and dissipated into mist as it rose into the air leaving nothing but a small, open phial in the dirt.

"NO!" Korick shouted, retrieving his blade from the tree with some effort – a member of his order former or no never leaves a weapon behind – sheathing it and sprinting towards the hut where she lived. But by the time he arrived he found the door swinging on its hinges, and the possessions therein spread all over the floor, with many of the items that had been there on his initial visit missing.

Clearly he had underestimated the Shameness, The Master had warned him of such and he had fallen through on his command to eliminate her. Clearly he would need some help with this and that would not go over well with The Master. Leaving the hut behind, Korick let an angry, loud, Zebra squeal into the forest before running back to the Ghastly Gorge. The sooner he let The Master know he had failed the sooner he could get back on the trail of the witch, and he would not fail a second time.


End file.
